Indoor market revamp will ‘attract more independent traders’
THE much-needed revamp of Macclesfield Indoor Market will attract more independent traders and increase the ever-improving footfall in the town centre, a councillor said.
Coun Nick Mannion was speaking as the economy and growth committee gave the go-ahead for the selection of a contractor for the refurbishment works.
The Macclesfield West and Ivy councillor said there are currently 220 independent businesses in the town centre area.
He said: “That’s up on what the figure was prepandemic and I think that’s the future of our town centres.
“We’ve got to grow it ourselves and the indoor market in Macclesfield is a key link in that chain.
“It’s an opportunity for people wanting to start their own business perhaps, but haven’t the confidence or the resources to take a lease on a shop premises in the town centre, to try their idea out.”
The market refurbishment will be funded by £1.5m from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
Works under consideration include accessible stalls with shutters, communal seating space with screening, re-positioned stalls to increase visibility, a new or repaired floor, a greater number of stalls with facilities for food preparation and improvements to entrances.
Macclesfield councillor Fiona Wilson said she was excited by the project, which was a ‘brilliant example’ of the town council and Cheshire East working together.
She said: “The designs that have been brought forward, the shared seating areas and creating something similar to other successful markets, is very much welcomed.
“We’ve got Treacle Market, of course, which is a big creator of footfall into the town centre, and the footfall figures for Macclesfield are improving all the time.”
Coun Janet Clowes asked about access to the market in the evenings, when the Grosvenor Centre wasn’t open at night.
She said: “In terms of the success of a revamped indoor market, what we have found in Crewe particularly, it’s the ability to operate in the evenings and at night and have events there and to expand the use.
“We don’t own the
Grosvenor Centre part, how are we going to get around that?
“It would be a shame not to utilise our new market place to the full when it’s finished.”
The committee was told officers were in talks with the Grosvenor Centre about the refurbishment project.
Councillors also heard about plans to make the market more visible from Churchill Way.
Mr Jarvis said: “There’s three very large murals we’re looking at to make it into a landmark so that people can actually see and recognise where the market entrance is.”